Ikebe Shakedown are swimming in similar waters occupied by other modern day soul/jazz/funk bands such as Menahan Street Band, Budos Band and Antibalas. Drums, percussion and bass rumble, slink and slide underneath epic but elastic horn arrangements and acid-tinged guitar lines throughout “Stone By Stone,” giving off the vibe of a James Bond film set in Nairobi.

The horn and rhythm section provide most of the window dressing on “Stone By Stone” but guitarist Robin Schmidt lays down some tasty runs reminiscent of Jimmy Nolen’s work for James Brown. The sporadic but brilliant vibraphone work of guest musician Toby Pazner gives the proceedings a hazy, psychedelic feel that wouldn’t be out of place on a Zero 7 or Thievery Corporation album. There’s a lot going on here, but everything fits together perfectly.

Everything on “Stone By Stone” is drenched in compression, giving the album the texture of a high-definition am radio signal. Tracks such as “The Offering” and “The Illusion” are mysterious yet danceable, which means even the staunchest wallflower can enjoy these tunes while everyone else is on the dance floor. Other sections of the album (“Rio Grande,” “The Beast”) are genius slices of melodic soundtrack music in the tradition of Quincy Jones’ 1960s output.

This type of soul/funk/jazz is currently enjoying a bit of a revival, but it doesn’t seem to have the faddish quality of the swing music craze that popped up for a few minutes a decade or so back. Ikebe Shakedown are part of a new generation of bands that have figured out how to make timeless records without Xeroxing the past. Here’s hoping there’s enough of an audience for this great music to sustain it.

Classic album: Let There Be Rock

Artist: AC/DC

Label: Atlantic

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

In 1977 when disco and punk were duking it out in the press and on the retail racks, AC/DC ignored them both and created the blazing “Let There Be Rock.”

AC/DC’s brand of stripped down, high energy rock and roll was actually promoted in some circles as punk around this time - as was the about to be first album by The Police. Whatever you call it, “Let There Be Rock” is a genuine slice of hard rock perfection that sounds as potent today as it did upon its initial release.

Contrary to popular belief, all of AC/DC’s albums are concept albums, but not necessarily in the “Quadrophenia” or “Dark Side Of The Moon” tradition. Instead of exploring themes of alienation and paranoia, AC/DC focused on girls, rocking and anything associated with either.

Just take the “Let There Be Rock” track “Whole Lotta Rosie” - a tribute to one of lead singer Bon Scott’s less than svelte conquests. To the untrained ear, this is a song about someone who may be less than obsessed with working out. In fact, “Whole Lotta Rosie” is a manifesto on the unfair expectations Western society puts on women. No, I was kidding; it’s just a song about Bon’s love of big girls.

What makes “Whole Lotta Rosie” and other songs on the album such as “Dog Eat Dog” and “Problem Child” unique is the engine underneath them. While Angus Young is at the front of the stage playing brilliant guitar leads and stomping around like a ferret with Tourettes, his brother Malcom is driving the ship by playing unrelenting, pummeling riffs. That roar you hear on the song “Let There Be Rock” is actually the two-guitar attack of Malcom and Angus Young. Taking Malcom out of the equation would be the equivalent of removing Eddie Van Halen’s left hand.

AC/DC never abandoned their original modus operandi, but there albums recorded 1979 weren’t as raw as their initial string of releases. The guitar squall created by Angus and Malcom Young was never captured better than it was on “Let There Be Rock,” and with plenty of great songs to play and boundless energy it makes it a must own for any rock music fan. Don’t try to label it, just enjoy it.

Jon Dawson’s album reviews appear every Thursday in the Free Press. Contact Jon at 252-559-1092 or jon.dawson@kinston.com. Purchase Jon’s new book “Counterfeit Sauerkraut & The Weekend Teeth” at The Free Press office or www.jondawson.com.